


Late Night Love

by Somedrunkpirate



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst solved by communication, Established Relationship, Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, Love, M/M, Trust, hooray!, mental health
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-21 22:04:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11366541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somedrunkpirate/pseuds/Somedrunkpirate
Summary: The start of season is nearing and the trainings are getting harder on Jack.Eric sees the strain, day by day, week by week, and he’s afraid.





	Late Night Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [teacuphuman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/teacuphuman/gifts).



> This little thing is for the lovely Teacuphuman for her birthday and for the hard work she's putting into the Inception fandom. We all love and appreciate her for it! Thank you so much, and happy birthday, darling <3

The start of season is nearing and the trainings are getting harder on him.

Eric sees the strain, day by day, week by week, and he’s afraid.

This isn’t the first time Jack falls asleep during their nightly Skype call, or rather, this isn’t the first time _this_ week.

The real first time it happened, it was precious. It was a show of trust, another way that Jack loves him, loves him enough to stay up as long as possible, and feels secure enough to be vulnerable. At the time, Jack falling asleep while he listened to a recounting of a disastrous training with the frogs, felt like an intimacy.

Now, it feels like a burden.

Not a burden to Eric, oh no. The schedule Jack had presented with a burning smile and a bouquet of roses graces Bitty’s life with moments of love, adoration, and happiness every single day. Bitty feels loved and so lucky in those hours of talking and listening, it feels like Jack never left.

No. It’s certainly not a burden to Eric, but it is to Jack.

Jack works so hard. He pours himself into everything, his hockey, his life, their relationship. His focus and his dedication are awe-inspiring, his energy and motivation almost godly.

But no. That’s wrong. Jack is no god. He’s human and he’s running himself ragged.

Eric watches Jack sleep, sees the exhausted lines and the twitching eyes, and something breaks in Eric’s heart. He’s longed for Jack for years, thinking it was a hopeless endeavor — a crush on the straight captain was the stupidest thing his poor heart could’ve done. But then, at the last possible second, Jack rushed in and kissed Eric’s disbelief away, pressed his warm lips to Eric’s mouth and made him believe fairytales were possible.

And they were, for a while.

But Jack is acting like he’s prince charming, as if he’s capable of being perfect in every facet of his life, and Eric has been selfish. He has been holding onto everything Jack gave him, took every little thing and cherished it. Just in case. Just in case Jack came to his senses and broke it off.

But Jack didn’t. Even after months he still skypes and smiles and almost cries when they see each other again. Eric still doesn’t know if he deserves it, if it’s as real as it seems to be, but he has to accept it. He has to, for Jack.

Because if he doesn’t, if he lets Jack continue like this, this lovely but unsustainable dedication that makes him sleep too little and work too much, it will all end in heartbreak anyway. And now, Eric is becoming more sure that his heart isn’t the only one that will be hurting if it comes to that.

Jack snores softly in his sleep, finally taking the rest he deserves. Eric smiles softly at him, clutches his fist to his heart and breathes.

He has him now. He has Jack and he has to take responsibility.

He has him, and now it’s time to make sure he can keep him.

That they can keep this, as precious as it is to them both.

\---

Jack drags himself into his apartment. It’s dark and cold and the kitchen is too clean in the shimmering moonlight. That kitchen is meant to be used, used everyday, but Jack can’t get himself to make use of it after a long day of training and the person who it is intended for is not here. Can’t be here.

Might never be here.

Jack shakes his head. Thoughts are just thoughts. They are allowed to exist but they hold no implicit truth.

He breathes.

He has 10 minutes before the Skype call, enough to shower quickly and throw something in the microwave to eat while listening to Bitty’s day. Jack smiles at that thought.

A five minute shower is as refreshing as it is tiring. Jack puts the temperature lower than he usually does, in the hopes it will wake him up a little, or at least make him feel less slow. It does neither. He trembles in the icy water flowing over him.

His head feels woozy as he watches the bowl of soup turning until it stops. Belatedly, he realises that the beeping means that it’s done. He takes the hot bowl, careful not to burn his fingers, and lowers himself into a dinner table chair where his laptop is waiting for him, charged and ready.

The moment he opens it up, Bitty calls. They have the timing down now, almost telepathic. It makes Jack feel solid and hopeful.

Jack accepts the call, and waits impatiently for Skype to load Bitty’s face.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Bitty says with a bright smile. “Is everything working okay? Can you hear me?”

Something dislodges in Jack’s body. The tension flows out of him, carried away by Bitty’s sunlight smile and loving eyes. The tiredness is still there, but it’s soft and comforting now, aching after a hard day’s work. Jack watches Bitty’s face and breathes. The room doesn’t feel as dark and alone as it had when he came home. That wasn’t coming home, though, not really.

This is.

Bitty is frowning a little now, waiting on a response of some kind. Jack smiles.

“Yeah, I can hear you,” Jack says, “I’m sorry. I’m a little tired.”

Bitty pulls a concerned face, tilting his head like he does when an injured came teammate too close. Taking in the damage, making a list of things he could do to help. Jack sighs. Bitty shouldn’t worry about him. He has enough to worry about. This should be easy for the both of them. Easy is sustainable.

“Bits, I’m okay,” Jack says. “Just a little tired. I’m not sick.”

Bitty frowns again and Jack wishes he could kiss it away.

“Not yet,” Bitty sighs, almost resigned. “You’re pushing yourself too hard, sweetheart. What did you eat for dinner?”

Jack motions to his soup, finally cooled enough to eat. “Some leftovers, didn’t have time to cook.”

“Jack,” Bitty pouts. “You know you can ask me to send you cakes, but I can also send other things. I can make dinner, you know?”

There is a slight hint of a smile at the end, Bitty trying to turn the conversation light again. Jack doesn’t know where it went dark, he doesn’t know what he did wrong. This is supposed to be easy.

“Yeah, I know, but you’re busy too,” Jack replies. “Speaking of which, how did the trainings go, and your Econ test?”

Bitty narrows his eyes at him, not fooled by the subject change. Jack’s stomach goes tight until Bitty sighs and drops it.

“I’m not talking about the Econ test, that test is officially non-existent and dumped into the void of things that must not be talked about. But the training, I can tell you about the training…”

Jack represses a sigh of relief and listens to Bitty talk with a smile, eating his soup distractedly and making participatory sounds at the right moments. He even laughs out loud a few times, and he feels lighter than he’s felt all day.

Time slips a little, and Jack blinks when Bitty repeats his name.

“Jack.”

“Sweetheart.”

“Jack-”

Jack refocuses and sees Bitty watching him, a soft smile on his face.

“You should go to bed, love. You’re tired and you need the rest for tomorrow,” Bitty says.

Jack tenses and looks at the time. “We have still 50 minutes left. I’ll sleep when we’re finished.”

Bitty shakes his head. “You’re not taking care of yourself, so I will help you a little. You’re going to sleep, and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”

Panic lodges in Jack’s throat. Bitty is cutting their time short. Bitty doesn’t want to see him.

“Bits,” Jack breathes, but he doesn’t know what to say. “Eric, please.”

Bitty flinches a little, taken aback by his reaction, and Jack feels a ball of liquid mystery seep through the bottom of his stomach. He has to do better. He’s been slacking and lazy and Bitty noticed. Bitty sees that he’s not paying enough attention, lost in his own head. Bitty deserves better. Bitty deserves better than him. He has promised himself that he would make this possible, but he’s failing. They’re failing.

Jack watches Bitty, sees how fear grows in his bright blue eyes, and loathes himself for it. “Bitty, I’ll do better. I promise, give me another chance.”

“Jack, Jack! Sweetheart. Oh gosh,” Bitty says with a gasp. “Jack, I’m not sending you away. I don’t know what you think this is but it isn’t that, okay? I’m just worried about you. You’re tired, you fall asleep during our Skype calls. I don’t want you to sacrifice your health for me, sweetheart. I care about you. I love you. Let me take care of you, even though I’m far away.”

Jack lets the words flow over him. Lets the warmth of them, the _love_ of them flower between his darkened thoughts and make space for something besides panic. Something besides the fear that haunts him if he lets it. Bitty is not leaving. Nothing is ruined. (Yet)

“I’m sorry,” Jack whispers. “I didn’t mean to break down like that, I didn’t mean for you to see it.”

“Oh, love,” Bitty says, a tremble in his voice. “You know you can tell me or show me everything. You know this. I love you. I love everything about you. Including this. You don’t have to be perfect for me, sweetheart. You already are, with all imperfections included.”

Jack looks up from where he’d dropped his head in his hands, and watches a tear drip from Bitty’s face. But he doesn’t seem sad, or angry, or disgusted, or fearful. His whole face is lit up in love, and Jack finally breathes again.

“You’re tired, you’re so tired. You’ve been for weeks, and I let you. I’m sorry,” Bitty continues softly. “So whatever you’re feeling right now, the fears, the panic. They feel worse because you’re exhausted. They’re not true.”

Jack nods. He vaguely remembers saying things like these to Bitty, paraphrased from therapy sessions. Bitty is right. His therapist was right.

For mental care, you have to take care of your body too. If you don’t, one will worsen the other. He’s been sabotaging his own mental health. He has to do better.

No.

That’s not right.

He has to let Bitty help him.

“I love you,” Bitty says, dragging Jack out of his thoughts in the best possible way. “I love you so much, and I want to help you. Yeah?”

Jack nods again. “Yes.”

Bitty smiles, bright and lovely, like nothing sad or fearful had happened. Or maybe because of it. Something happened and they got through it. Maybe that’s what Bitty is happy about.

“Bits,” Jack says. “I love you, and thank you.”

Bitty takes a hitching breath and another tear escapes from his eye. “Sweetheart, thank you for trusting me.”

Jack smiles. “I do. I always will.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Brookebond for the quick beta and thank you OMGcheckpls! fandom for the lovely warm welcome yesterday! It made me want to write more :)


End file.
